


Absolute Beginners

by WittyWallflower



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Guardians of the Galaxy - All Media Types
Genre: Campfires, F/M, Friendship, Mantis grooming Rocket, Mantis meets an actual puppy, Mantis needs more self esteem, Peter Quill Goes Home, Slow Burn, Team Bonding, Team as Family, Terran culture, a visit to Terra, background pre-Starmora, lots of Quill showing the team his home planet, pretending like he knows anything about it anymore, probably, romantis, the Guardians go camping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2018-11-15 01:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11220186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WittyWallflower/pseuds/WittyWallflower
Summary: Following the destruction of Ego, the Guardians take a trip to Terra so Peter can check on his home planet and introduce his friends to some Terran culture. Mantis settles in as a member of the team.





	1. Chapter 1

After they limped back to Nova space, the Guardians were overwhelmed by the reports coming in from all sectors of the galaxy. Terrifying forces had appeared in so many places, consuming and destroying everything they touched, threatening to engulf whole cities, nations, planets. Until suddenly it had stopped. All of it. Simultaneously on hundreds of different world light years apart, the threat had ceased then crumbled to dust.

Nova Prime had to see the evidence straight from the chronometer on what was left of Yondu’s ship before she could believe the Guardians had anything to do with it. But it seemed the danger had been linked to the Celestial named Ego. And in defeating him, the Guardians had once again saved untold billions. The widespread chaos had stopped at the precise moment the ship’s sensors registered the destruction of the planet that was Ego.

Nova mechanics offered to duplicate Quill’s beloved Milano but he knew it wouldn’t be the same. He’d retrofitted that ship so much, it couldn’t possibly be reproduced and even if it could it wouldn’t feel the same. It might look the same or fly the same but it would be hollow of memories. Peter just didn’t have the energy right now to pull the wreckage of the original Milano off the planet it had crashed on to repair it. Since it had been destroyed trying to escape with stolen items rather than in the defense of the galaxy, Nova forces hadn’t offered to help with THAT.

He settled for letting them repair the Third Quadrant and upgrade a bunch of its systems. The fragment of the former ship wasn’t much but it was all he really had left of anything that connected him to Yondu. He had grown up on this old boat with Yondu as Captain and right now that counted for more than any shiny new ship. 

When all upgrades and repairs were complete and Peter started making noise about leaving Xandar, Nova Prime seemed happy to see the back of them. She would never cease being grateful to them; she had family on 3 of the affected planets. But things were in such a state of chaos in the aftermath that there simply was no time for celebrating the heroes right now. And sometimes the Guardians got in the way of the clean-up process. They were eager to help but not trained in triage, or damage mitigation, or infrastructure management or frankly anything that was useful after the ass-kicking part was over with.

Peter did not need a neon sign to show him the door. He fired up the drive as soon as the Quadrant (they really needed to come up with a name for this hunk of space junk) made orbit and pointed them at the nearest jump point. Slapping on the autopilot, he turned to his friends.

“Where to, guys?”

It took a while to hash that one out. Where to go? Some people were in favor of joining relief efforts. Others, namely Rocket, wanted to hightail it where they wouldn’t get conscripted by Nova Corp. He didn’t want Prime to start thinking the Guardians were some hired goon-squad she could just order around. Surprisingly it was Drax who settled the matter with a compromise.

He had been on the infonet learning more about the widespread damage Ego has caused before Peter ended him. Drax’s first concern was for the planet of his birth. Though his wife and child were dead, he still had blood there. He hadn’t been in contact with any of them since he began his quest for venganc against Ronan. He was relieved to learn his planet was untouched by Ego’s monstrosity. Relieved but not surprised. Women of his world would never fall for such a paunchy, soft being as the Celestial. A rival planet was not so wise in its females and his people had been able to conquer it in the ensuing confusion. 

His own concerns satisfied, Drax regarded his friends for a moment before tapping new queries into his tablet. Quite gently. His fingers were infamous as deadly weapons.

“Friend Quill” Drax spoke up moments later, interrupting Peter and Gamora’s argument over the merits of beaches with purple-pink sands versus jungles lush and verdant with sentient vines.

“I believe i know where we may be of assistance.“

Drax passed over his tablet. The bulletin was about Terra. Earth. It was on the list of affected planets. Because it was a jerkwater world in the ass-end of beyond, no one really cared about it. There was no information beyond confirmation of the fact that Earth HAD suffered casualties and damage. No numbers, no details, no further facts. Peter was a little surprised anyone had bothered to write up and send the meager report to begin with. But Earth, man…. he’d never stopped to worry about his home planet.

Wow. Yeah, of course he knew intellectually that Earth had been touched by Ego. The overconfident man had said so, had spelled out every last detail of his big plan for universal domination. Like a cliche movie villain or something. Peter just… kinda forgot to think about it in the middle of everything. What with his planet-father exploding around him while his true daddy died and all.

Shit. How bad were things? Earth didn’t have the technology the rest of the galaxy had. The affected Nova Empire planets would be cleaned up and back to normal within 2 months. Terrans didn’t even know aliens existed before this; there could be panic in the streets! Suddenly Peter wasn’t ready just yet to set aside his incredibly heroic Guardian role by swooping in and saving Earth from itself.

“I’ll plot a course and get us flying.” he said.

Peter passed the tablet to Gamora in response to the questions in her eyes. Then he took took the steps to the bridge at a run.

****************************

“Well, there it is.” Peter swallowed as he stared out the viewer at his homeworld below. He hoped his team couldn’t see the nerves that had suddenly dried his throat. “Terra. Also known as Earth. In all its pale blue glory”

Gamora’s purposeful stride to the landing transport was halted by Peter’s “Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute.”

She crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly.

“You guys aren’t Earth-norm and the locals around here ain’t exactly enlightened about extraterrestrials. Green ladies and taking trees walking around is gonna cause chaos.” Peter said. First thing they needed was some reconnaissance. 

“You are the only human among us, Quill. Was your plan that we would sit here on the ship while you alone get shore leave?” Gamora asked.

“What? No! Not at all! I mean, I didn’t exactly _have_ a plan on how to deal with this before we got here…” sensing his companions displeasure he hastened to reassure them. “But I can totally come up with one now, how about that? Hmm?”

Peter brainstormed furiously. All his skills of improvisation and persuasion were needed now. They came in handy for a conman and Peter was a good conman.

“Disguises!” He cried with a snap of his fingers. “See? Easy. I’ll head to the surface, throw some units around, and come back with everything we need to help you guys blend in.”

Drax and Gamora looked unimpressed. Rocket could tell they were not optimistic there was anything to be had to make them look human enough to pass with skin that color. What was he gonna do, paint ‘em? And what was Peter’s half-assed plan for hiding fur and bark?

“Tell you what. I will make a supply run while I’m there and stock us up on the best Terran delicacies and intoxicants. My treat.”

Peter knew the persuasive power of food and alcohol when it came to his friends and they grudgingly capitulated, not having many options anyway. He was going to need help lugging all that shit around though. Unless he got lucky enough to find a really good parking spot to hide the small cloaked transport, he’d probably have to hike into town. No grav field manipulation technology on Terra yet either so a cargo sled was out.

The members of the team were spread around him. Kraglin looked human enough. He would have been the obvious choice to come along but his new fan was going to attract way too much attention and way too many questions. And Kraglin knew how to handle the ship the best of any of them and Peter wanted him at the stick in case of surprises. Like more genocidal maniacs or genocidal gods.

Also, he had seen Kraglin on shore leaves. The man was menace in even the rowdiest port of call. Peter didn’t have much faith he could find a place on Terra with a bar Kraglin couldn’t drink dry or with enough prostitute to please the man. He wasn’t inflicting that on his homeworld. Earth had been through enough.

That only left one person…

Peter rummage around before he spotted just the thing he was looking for and brought it over to Mantis who was standing back from the group, looking too shy to participate or ask questions. No one had bothered to explain to her the significance of where they were. Peter shook out the hat he had found and offered it to her.

Mantis only blinked her confusion at the bundle of black fabric.

“Oh, for-“ Rocket sighed testily, stalking over. “She ain’t no mindreader, you d’ast idjit.”

He snagged the cap from Peter. “Prolly never even worn a hat in her life.” he grumbled as he climbed up Peter to perch on his shoulder.

Quill bite his lip at the sharp claws scratching him but didn’t wince. Those claws would grip a lot harder if he made Rocket lose his balance. But Peter clearly wasn’t getting out of his with his dignity intact because Rocket cuffed him upside the back of the head to urge him forward. When he was close enough to reach, Rocket leaned over to pull the hat onto Mantis. One paw had to gently lay her antennae back against her head so they didn’t get bent. The cool glide of her soft hair against his sensitive paw tickled for a moment before the hat was on.

It was a bit big but rolling the extra fabric helped disguise the lump of her antennae. When she looked to Rocket for affirmation, he gave her a nod before leaping to the floor. Mantis beamed at his approval. Creepy smile aside, he thought, she looked plenty like a humie to pass just fine. Assuming Quill could manage to keep her out of trouble.

“There, see?” Peter was turning back to the group. “We’ll pick her up a pair of sunglasses and thats one disguise taken care of, no problem. We’ll be back soon!”

Peter grabbed Mantis by the elbow and steered her to the transport hangar before the others could respond.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Mantis head down to Terra to pick up some supplies.

The first thing Quill did when they hit atmo was direct his cloaked ship to his old hometown. Ego had planted the seed of destruction there while courting his mom. The town had taken the hit when everything went to hell.

Ground zero was like a blast zone without an actual crater. Black husks littered the ground, crushed, burned and mostly consumed by the plant-turned-energy force that was an extension of Ego himself. Everything was covered with a dark film that Peter didn’t want to know if it was ash or grime or something worse. From the air, the contrast between the damaged area and the untouched streets was jarring.

But the sharpest contrast was actually the people he saw from above. Sure there were plenty of clean up crews at work, police forces blocking off affected areas, but most people moved around the destruction as if it didn’t bother them. Everything seemed to be… fine. These people didn’t need a Guardian to save the day. There was no riot in the streets, no scream of sirens or wail of voices picked up by exterior sensors. This world too seemed to have moved on since the day Ego left existence. Everyone went about their lives, driving their cars, walking their dogs, doing their shopping.

Speaking of… Peter circled until he spotted a large shopping mart people were streaming in and out of. Perfect, a crowd to blend in to. Not far away they found a small wooded copse nestled in a residential area. They parked the cloaked ship there and went to buy their supplies.

Peter moved with confidence, grabbing a wheeled basket and pushing it through the doors to lead her inside as if he had been here a hundred times. He paused by a display near the front and casually examined the products before selecting a dark-colored headset to place on her. He had seemed so assured that Mantis was surprised when his fingers brushed her temple and she felt his nervousness. That nervous-confused-nostalgic-sentimental anxiety that she could feel him trying to smother with pride and cockiness.

Peter stepped back and waved Mantis to a mirror so she could see her reflection wearing the sunglasses he had chosen for her. She had no standard by which to judge what she was seeing. The glasses she wore didn’t stand out as being different from the others in the display. If Peter felt they were necessary, she had no objections to wearing them. She turned back to him.

“Looks good.” He said with a satisfied nod. It would do to cover her big dark eyes. “Keep ‘em on. If you lose ‘em, keep your head down and don’t make eye contact with anyone.”

Peter pushed their basket and set off down the first aisle he spotted, not really paying attention to what was it in. Everything was labelled and he’d never forgotten how to read Terran, but the walkways between the shelves were so crowded with people and their baskets and their kids and their stopping in the middle of everything to impede foot traffic that Peter was getting antsy already. Quarters tended to be cramped in ships and stations, Peter was used to stuff like this. Being crowded usually didn’t bother him.

But being home on Earth, surrounded by everything so vaguely familiar yet wildly unfamiliar… suddenly Peter wanted nothing more than a few moments back on his own well-known Milano, alone. He marched down the aisle, ignoring the items around him, intent on putting space between himself and the main press of people. He drew to a halt near the end of the aisle, his hands gripping the handle of the shopping cart tightly. Peter noticed his knuckles were white just as he noticed Mantis catch up and come to stand beside him. She hesitated for a moment before ghosting a light touch over the back of one hand.

It was so fleeting and gentle but it was also relief. Like a whisper of a breeze on a hot day. Peter’s emotions eased back from the verge of an anxiety attack to settle into the comfortably familiar territory of that nervous-but-eager anticipation for an adventure. Quill hadn’t been too crazy about the idea of this skinny bug girl being able to control people’s emotions. But he had to give it to her: she had picked a particularly useful and un-invasive (also un-embarrassing) way to demonstrate her powers this time. Peter was starting to think she’d come in real handy as a Guardian of the Galaxy after all.

Peter took a moment to surreptitiously scan a shopping list on his tablet.They had seen plenty of people using various sized devices, but his  was just different enough to attract attention they didn’t need or want right now.

Mantis took the chance to examine the items around her. The shelf was lined with toys, colorful toys made soft materials and bright colors. The ones before her were shaped like animals. Others further down the shelf looked like people or objects or odd blobs she could not identify.

“What is the purpose of this item?” she asked.

“Hmm? Oh they are teddy bears, for kids.” Peter’s explanation did little to clear up Mantis’ confused expression.

“Toys for children?” She knew of toys, of course. But Ego had entertained his children with his powers; she had never seen a child at play with a toy. How were they used?

“Mostly. Though plenty of adults i know still have toys.” Yondu’s collection came to Peter’s mind. It had starred a trend among some of the crew. A number of Ravagers had adopted little personal mascots of their own. “They are kinda comfort items more than toys to be played with. You cuddle with them when you feel sad or scared, sleep with them when you feel lonely. They help you feel better and make you smile, I guess.”

Peter told her about the small bear that had been in his pack when he’d left earth. How it had worn out within a couple months under the duress of a small boy’s grief and constant fear. About the menagerie of stuffed animals he had begun to accrue when his mom first got sick. Concerned family and friends bringing him gifts to comfort and distract him.

Mantis turned back to the display, examining the different furry creatures until Peter, on his way to the next aisle, called back at her to keep up.

They made their quickly way through the store, Peter piling items into the cart haphazardly until it was overfull. Double checking the list as they made their way back to the front, he glanced at Mantis.

“That should do it, lets roll out.” he said. But Mantis was gazing down an aisle. “Was there anything you wanted to get while we are here?”

Mantis startled and looked at him. She had not considered purchasing anything for herself. She explained that all her needs were currently met. She had food and clothing and a place to sleep, the resources on board the ship were for all to share if they needed to use them. Ego had never encouraged her to acquire personal items.

“Well, you don’t live with Ego anymore. You should have something that belongs just to you, no one else.” Peter had never seen any sign that Mantis owned anything other than the clothes on her back. “Besides, we did put some of that ‘gratitude gift’ from Nova into an account for you. You helped stopped Ego so you deserve some of the take. You have your own units now. You can do whatever you want.”

She gazed silently at Peter for a long moment. Her gaze was full of expression but it was hard to read with the glasses covering those eyes that shined her emotions out like a deep-space beacon.

Just to be given the gift of owning something of her own, and being allowed to choose it, was enough to overwhelm her. But to be given such financial independence meant respect, and it meant freedom! Mantis had to work to keep her breath from hitching. Her new friends were so kind to her.  

When she lived with Ego, sometimes she would keeps small items in her room. A shiny pebble she had found on a rare trip off world, or a scrap of fabric in a pretty color from an outfit Ego had discarded. They made for poor treasures though, and they tended to disappear eventually as Ego constantly shifted and rebuilt his surface features. Mantis knew anything she placed in her quarters on the Quadrant would be left there by her companions. It would be known to be hers and hers only and they would respect that. They would respect her, _as a person._

Not wanting to give in to tears in this strange alien market, Mantis gave Peter a stiff nod before she turned and marched down the first aisle they had entered. Peter fiddled with the doodad Rocket had designed to override the unit-chip readers on this planet. He didn’t exactly had local currency on him, but if there was an electronic payment system in existence Rocket couldn’t hack, Quill would be surprised. When Mantis returned to his side, he looked up to see if she was ready to go.

And broke into a wide grin.

She stood there with a large stuffed animal clutched to her chest, making the innocent woman look like a 13 year old girl. She looked unsure until she saw Peter’s genuine smile, which she hesitantly returned. They set off to pay for their items while Mantis cuddled her very first toy, nuzzling her face into the faux fur of the plush raccoon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mantis finally meets a puppy.

Okay, so maybe Peter had sorta implied he was gonna do the supply run and come right back. But he hadn’t actually _said_ that so really he wasn't lying to anyone. And after they had stowed their purchases on board, Peter found he wasn’t ready to leave Terra again after so short a time on the dirt. Plus, he hadn’t exactly figured out the whole disguises thing yet.  
  
There was also the fact that as they had been carrying everything back to the transport, the smell of barbecue had drifted over from a nearby neighborhood and now Peter was starving. There was a lot of similarities in the smell of various grilled meats the galaxy over. Flesh edible to your average humanoid could only react to heat and flame in so many ways. But there was something unique about the charcoal Terrans used. The memories of childhood summers flooded Peter’s head as he inhaled the scent.  
  
His original plan had been to wait to go looking for his old house. With all his friends there for him, just on the minuscule chance he’d need some kind of emotional support or something. But Peter couldn't shake the mental image of the old homestead, shaded by the enormous old trees on the lawn, freshly-mown green grass littered with bikes and balls and everything a boy needed to enjoy a nice summer day. He had to see it again, had to see if it was still standing. See if that connection to his old life, to his mother, still existed. He had no idea what he was going to find, and it seemed stupid now to drag all his friends out for potentially nothing. The house might not exist anymore.  
  
So he proposed to Mantis the two of them take a walk. He didn't mention his goal and she certainly didn't question his leadership. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to check out their surroundings, see if they were safe to return to this hiding spot and she of course didn’t object to exploring another new world. Or wonder at his motive for not returning immediately to their team.  
  
On Xandar, while the Quadrant was restored, Mantis had walked the feet off of all of them as they escorted her on walking tours of the Nova planet. One by one the others had dropped out, claiming exhaustion and physical defeat, until only Peter would continue to escort her around. He hadn’t blamed Rocket or Groot; their bodies were not designed like your average biped. But Gamora’s excuses about conserving her energy for battle felt weak, since Xandar was a peaceful enough planet. Usually. Drax bluntly stated he had no interest in walking amongst the uninteresting Xandarians and while Peter found that slightly rude to Mantis’ interests, he couldn’t disagree. Xandar was pretty boring compared to some of the funner places Peter had been.  
  
Boring to them. To Mantis everything was fascinating and she was addicted to seeking new experiences now that she was given permission (even encouragement) to investigate and be curious. Ego had told her only what she needed to know. Peter noticed the lack of her usual timidity when she started asking rapid-fire questions about everything around her.  
  
He was trying to cope with the onslaught, having to dig deep into his memory for some answers. (Maybe a few answers he guessed at because it really wasn’t important to anyone if he was wrong and this way he wouldn’t have to anything he didn’t know.) But they kept coming. She wanted to know everything about this world and how it worked.  
  
Why is the sky blue on some planets and not others? Why do Terrans not install radiation shielding to protect against their hostile sun? Did Terrans posses any remarkable abilities like Mantis’ empathy? Some questions Peter himself hadn’t even thought to ask when he still lived here. Why are buildings shaped the way they are? Why do some roads and pathways curve gently but others turn at right angles? Why does the layout of the city make no logical sense?  
  
He was in the middle of explaining the cycle of seasons when he realized she was no longer walking at his side, but was trotting across the (thankfully empty) street. Knowing that her friends would look out for her and protect her from anything she shouldn’t be poking around with made her slightly fearless. But she was wise enough to pause before approaching what had caught her interest, giving Peter a chance to catch up. He made a mental note to give her a crash course in street safety.  
  
“This is a puppy, yes?” Mantis had been wrong before.  
  
“Yeah.” Peter smiled at the dog gamboling around the small park. “Yeah, it is.”  
  
He didn’t recognize the breed but its a pretty cute, fluffy, and seemed friendly enough. The small animal streaked across the open grass, stopping a few yards short to bark playfully at them once before tearing off the way it had come. Its owner smiled when she noticed them watching and brought the dog back over to meet them. Mantis was enchanted and fell to her knees to pet the pooch they were informed was a mini Australian shepherd named Tilly.  
  
“Greetings Tilly,” Mantis cooed to the ecstatic dog that was busy licking her face. “I am Mantis. It is pleasant to meet you.”  
  
It was so happy! Mantis had never felt such unbridled, uncomplicated joy. Young children were capable of it, but most of Ego’s children had come to him unsure and afraid. Mantis let the stray thought of Ego be drowned under the affection-trust-admiration-love that rolled off the wriggling dog. Tilly’s tail seemed to beat in time with those waves of emotion.  
  
There was a faint glow slipping through the knit of the cap on Mantis’ head. You probably wouldn’t notice it if you didn't know what to look for but Peter quickly engaged Tilly’s owner in conversation. Throwing in enough ready charm to distract her in case Mantis decided to get weird. Well, _more_ weird. After a few minutes of flirting while Mantis pet her newest furry friend, he hustled the empath away, winking at the dog lady and wishing her a nice day.  
  
They were only a few streets away from the house Peter grew up in and he was getting strangely nervous. Silence fell as Mantis too was deep in thought. The happy glow from the puppy had faded and now she found she had many things to reconsider, many assumptions she hadn’t been aware of making.  
  
She was realizing how wrong she was for thinking Rocket was a puppy or a pet when she had met him. Mantis had no way of knowing the disservice she was doing in, or the offense she was giving. Granted, Drax hadn’t exactly corrected her (things would have gone much smoother between her and Rocket if Drax had been truthful, she thought, feeling slightly traitorous for faulting her large friend). And she had never met a puppy before today, never had a pet of any kind. But having met that sweet, trusting, adorable, kind, but SIMPLE animal, she understood now how insulting it was for her to watch Rocket tooling around with a complicated weapon or flying a spaceship and think him anything less than a person.  
  
Mantis wondered if he was more of a person than herself. Naturally she didn’t doubt her own sentience and self-awareness but Rocket had such a dynamic personality. A uniquely personal way of acting and reacting to things. All the Guardians did. Whereas she was… Mantis.

Simply Mantis.

Simple, like a puppy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter visits his childhood home.

Peter’s steps faltered to a halt on the sidewalk across the street from where he had spent the first 8 years of his life.

The house was exactly the same. He couldn’t believe it, it felt like it must be a mirage. The neighborhood was almost unrecognizable, which made sense, it had been decades. Developments had come and gone, architectural styles had changed. The town itself had grown into a city.

But the house was just like he remembered, or as well as he could remember through the haze of the years. It looked like it had gotten a fresh coat of paint but it was still the same color. There was still a tire swing hanging from the tree in the yard, a porch swing next to the front door. Still a little sign hanging below the mailbox at the end of the walk, swaying in the summer breeze..

The sign that still read “Quill.” They must have kept the house in the family after his mom died, keeping it the same in memory of her, he guessed. He wondered who ended up living there and his heart sank for a moment when he realized he could no longer remember the names of his cousins. Man, that would be awkward if he had any plans to reunite with them.

Being here was starting to make him feel uncomfortable, unsettled. Being here on Terra. The longer he was here the less he thought of it as “Earth”. "Earth" had been a wonderful place where his mom had lived and smiled and sang along to the radio. Where his grandpa had played catch with him and taught him to ride a bike. His memories of Earth were pure and there was nothing of those memories on Terra.

Except that house. Suddenly Peter couldn’t stand to look at it. He knew it would be empty of what had made it home once upon a time. It would be empty of the memories that made Earth home. The music on the radio would be different and his mother wouldn’t be in the kitchen making gooey butter cookies. The house was just a reminder that Terra wasn’t home. Whatever Quills now lived there, they weren’t really his family anymore. His family was waiting for him on the ship and it was time to get back to them.

Before turning away from the early-childhood home of Peter Quill: Starlord, half-Celestial and full Guardian of the Galaxy, something in the side yard caught his eye.

And gave him an idea.

First, they were gonna need a lot more supplies.

 

***********

 

The crew stared at Quill as he covered the table with an armload of supplies that were most certainly not disguises. Rocket, Groot, and Drax immediately began poking through the pile to investigate. Drax wondered if these were strange Terran weapons. Rocket wondered what he could salvage and modify into weapons. And Groot just wondered what might be fun.

Quill was wearing a shit-eating grin.

“Guys, we’re going camping.”

He’d said it as if it was some grand announcement. One that was met with unimpressed silence in response. He deflated just a little but soldiered on.

“C’mon, it will be fun!” he said.

“Friend Quill," inquired Drax with his usual bluntness "Why would we wish to sleep on the ground and expose ourselves to the elements? We have comfortable bunks on this ship. Are there no lodgings available on the surface?”

Through the following discussion (it wasn’t an argument, okay? because it just wasn’t) Peter realized the gulf between his experiences and those of his teammates. He had nice memories of going out to the lake with his grandfather, a tent, and a couple fishing poles. Camping was hot dogs cooked on sticks and chasing fireflies at dusk.

Camping meant something very different to his friends though. They had lived rough lives and camping out was what you did when you couldn’t find a place safe or affordable enough to spend the night. Or when you had to lay low and hide out. Rarely was it comfortable. Never was it fun.

Well they didn’t have to actually sleep outside if they didn’t want to, Peter supposed. But some fresh air out in actual nature on a planet that was safe and warm and didn’t contain a single being that would have a grudge against them. It would do them all good to spend some time on the dirt.

When had he become such a planetsider? Peter wondered. He loved space, loved piloting a ship through the stars. Loved visiting different planets and meeting weird new species. But after everything that had happened, he needed a break. Terra was actually a pretty good place to get it. No enemies to worry about, no fans to mob them. Who knows how long it would take a signal from Nova Corp to even catch up with them way out here. There was nothing to do except whatever the hell they wanted.

“Look, its gonna be great, i promise. There’s this spot by the lake that my grandpa used to take me to. We’d go out on his boat and he'd teach me to fish. I bought a ton of food and other supplies, so we’ll have anything we could want or need. We can go for a hike in the woods, we can swim in the lake, and we’ll build a campfire because you guys have _got_ to try s’mores, I’m telling you. Its the ultimate Terran delicacy.”

Even if the team was inclined to argue further (which would have been futile, they knew nothing about this planet and had no alternatives), Peter’s engaging and enthusiastic grin would have swayed them to follow his lead. It was nice to see him so excited given the weight of grief that still hung over him. Hell, he was probably the only one among them with a chance at making positive new memories on their homeworld. So they assented and it was decided.

The Guardians were going camping.


	5. Chapter 5

The small planet-hopper transport ship wasn’t big enough to move all the Guardians and their supplies at once. And a bigger ship would be harder to hide. So Peter introduced them to the practice of drawing straws to choose lots. Drax stated he thought it would be better chosen based on merit, this would always give him first choice in any situation (by his thinking). As it was, he would have to wait his turn. Rocket and Mantis were to make the first trip.    
  
Mantis had already been to the surface, and Rocket was making sure he didn’t seem too interested in this dumb humie planet by not asking any questions, so the journey was uneventful.The wilderness around the lake had been mostly preserved so Peter was able to find the spot with less trouble than he expected. He was glad for all the time he’d spent as a kid during long drives to the lake studying the maps in his Grandpa’s dash compartment. Mostly for lack of anything better to do in the car.   
  
IT looked a lot like his memories of the place. The trees were taller and the forest thicker but the clearing was big enough for them to land in with enough room to move around the ship when it was parked. Which wasn’t for long. Peter unloaded the first round of supplies, hinting broadly that the other two start setting up while Peter headed back to the Quadrant for another load. Rocket ignored the suggestion in favor of having a look around.   
  
These Terran forests grew real convenient-like. The trees were far apart enough to walk between, but close enough for their canopy to keep things underneath cool and shaded from the sun. (Terran idiots just letting their sun dump radiation on them, no shields or nothing.) The underbrush was easy enough to push through, but Rocket didn’t like not having an open line of sight.   
  
With a leap, he sank his claws into a tree trunk so he could have a good look around above the underbrush. This brought him eye-level with Mantis. He hadn’t exactly invited her along for a walk, but he supposed she probably shouldn’t be left by herself on an unfamiliar planet. He wasn’t no babysitter though, so he left it to her to keep up with him as he set off.   
  
The ground cover was thick as far as he can see, so Rocket settled for the simple expedient of climbing into the tree’s branches and following them as they reached out. His enhanced strength and tough claws made it easy to leap from one tree to the next, scampering for the sturdiest limbs to launch himself from.   
  
When he finally looked back, he was surprised to see she was close behind him on the ground. Slightly flushed from hurrying after him, but it was good she wasn’t gonna be falling behind when they were on missions. She seemed like such a fragile thing, but they never coulda taken down Ego without her.  
  
The foliage closed in around Rocket for several moments and Mantis lost sight of him. She slowed slightly but kept moving. She did not expect Rocket to stop and wait for her, and he could emerge from behind the leaves at any moment. She must be ready to follow him. But she reached a small clearing without spotting him again. She halted to listen, turning to look around her for any disturbance in the trees. But the fresh breeze made it hard to tell what movement was unnatural. If Rocket was nearby, he had stopped moving or was extremely stealthy. Mantis could not find him anywhere.  
  
Suddenly a flurry blur shot out of a tree high over her head, flying through the air. She whipped around in time to see Rocket grasping the branch of a tree on the opposite side of the clearing. The branch dipped beneath his weight and at its lowest point he let go, flipping around and landing nearly on all fours. When he stood upright, Mantis clapped with awe and delight. He had leapt so far! and landed so gracefully!  
  
“You are the most nimble person i have ever seen!” she said.   
  
Knowing how little of the galaxy she had seen could have made that feel a little insulting, but Mantis wouldn’t understand why it would be anything less than the compliment it was intended to be. And she was so innocently enthusiastic about every damn thing. ‘Sides, he HAD been showing off. She made a good audience for that. He ignored the fact that she had used “person” instead of “creature” or something, so he wouldn’t get saddled with any _feelings_ about the whole thing. But when they moved on he slowed down a bit, letting her keep him in sight more easily.   
  
But only cuz he didn’t want her to stumble and break a foot or something! It would be a pain in the ass to carry her back to the landing site.   
  
They continued exploring the forest, eventually circling back to the lake and emerging a ways from their campsite after hiked up a rocky hill. The cliff that dropped straight into the water below wasn’t very high, just enough to give a full view of the lake. Rocket scouted everything they could see, taking note of a few boats near the distant shore in case he needed something to tinker with later. He glanced at his companion.  
  
Mantis was in raptures with the view, taking in the sweep of the landscape, the flat expanse of the lake that rippled occasionally in the light wind. The breeze swept up to the rock they were perched on, setting her antennae to gently bobbing. It must surely be one of the galaxy’s most beautiful planets, she thought. Ego had created many beautiful things, but the beauty of this Terra simply WAS. It existed on its own, changed on its own, and didn’t crumble away without one being to support it.   
  
The stunning blues of sky and water were an unrelenting assault on her eyeballs, relieved only by the green of the trees and occasional puffy white cloud. The gentle waft of wind was warm and tickling and smelled like nothing Mantis had ever experienced. An atmosphere full of rich green life and rippling waves and sun-warmed rock. Her eyes drifted closed as she felt the sun warm her as well, radiating over her happy face.  
  
She was basking with a smile as Rocket watched her. It was tempting to tease her, turn the tables by comparing her to a pet catnapping in the sun. But the sun WAS cozy, in a way he could never admit to anyone who he wanted to take him seriously. He definitely got the urge to stretch out and turn his furry tummy towards a sunny sky. Luckily Rocket didn’t spend enough time planet-side for it to come up very often. Groot had understood. Groot had let him nap in his branches whenever Rocket grew drowsy.

Rocket kinda wanted to ask what it was like on Ego's planet, if there had been a real star shining down on it or if Ego had provided the light and warmth with his godlike powers. While he was trying to decide if looking like he cared was worth bringing up the subject of Peter's douche-bag dad, he was distracted by a distant sound. Extremely faint even to his enhanced senses, but it grabbed his attention because it was familiar and wildly out of place among the forest sounds that were all they'd been hearing for an hour. Mantis' antennae soon perked up too and her eyes opened to search the sky. It didn't take them long to spot the tiny speck descending. When it was almost close enough to be visually identifiable, it winked out of sight but Rocket knew a transport ship when he heard one hit atmo. Peter must be cloaking to avoid attention.

"C'mon. We better go meet 'em or Quill will get all pissy." he said, and they made their way back down to the campsite.


	6. Chapter 6

Peter concentrated on lighting the coals in the little grill he had purchased. As a kid the adults kept him far away from the flames so he didn’t get hurt. He didn't really remember any of the finer points of Terran grilling, but torching meat till it was edible wasn’t all that difficult. He hoped.

Drax and Groot had drawn the straws for the second trip and were now exploring the campsite. Groot ran from tree to tree, checking to see if any would talk back to him. He checked every time they were on a planet with familiar-looking foliage. The Guardians worried about him being continually disappointed. None of them had seen another Flora Colossus and knew their little friend might very well be the only one traveling the stars. Gamora and Rocket knew what it was like to be alone in the universe, to feel like an outcast, but baby Groot didn’t seem to feel the same loneliness they did. The little guy couldn't remember his people the way adult Groot had.

But li'l Groot had his friends, and the instinctual knowledge that somewhere out there were tree-people who just didn’t care to leave their hidden home planet like Groot had. He couldn’t remember that life, but he had confidence he had made the choice to leave for a reason. He trusted in that faith so he didn’t feel sad when each tree stood still and silent; he just ran on to the next, enjoying the feeling of soft dirt under his feet and feeling rough bark so like his own. Later he would dig in his roots into the rich brown soil for a nice nap in the sun.

Drax was following Groot, keeping the tiny dumb tree in sight, when Rocket and Mantis stepped out of the forest and joined them. When Peter spotted them he grinned at Rocket and whipped the metal tongs he was using into the air. With a leap, Rocket snatched them out of the air and strolled over, rolling his eyes as Peter applauded the good catch.

“Keep an eye on these, will ya?” Peter asked, indicating the heating grill. “Don’t let coals go out. I should be back with Gamora and the food just in time to throw the meat on. But before I go, Drax, I got a job for you.” Quill dug through the mound of supplies and came up with a large bladed weapon. “And I think you’re gonna like it.”

Drax took the axe from Peter, swinging it experimentally to feel its balance and testing the sharpness of the blade’s edge. Honed sharp, the metal was well worked and the handle strong. This Terran weapon could very efficiently split skulls. Drax approved.

“So we’re gonna need wood for a fire later.” Peter explained, ignoring the slight huff of disappointment when Drax realized he wasn’t going to get to shed blood with his new toy. “Your job is to chop us some wood for a fire, pieces about so big.” he indicated the size with his hands

Drax nodded and looked around him for a likely first target. One of the trees at the edge of their clearing was marked and scarred.

“That tree has been damaged. I will fell it.” Drax announced but his steps were checked by Quill’s hands on his chest.

“Whoa, whoa. Not that tree.” Peter glanced over his shoulder at the tree in question. He recognized the crudely carved “P.Q” beneath and old-but-still-legible “M.Q.” The pale bark-stripped patch above it had had his grandfather’s initials on it once but time and weather had worn it away. “Any tree but that tree! Look, there’s always dead-fall in the forest. Why don’t you look around until you can find a tree that’s already on the ground? The dry wood will burn better.”

Drax shrugged. He didn’t recognize the markings on the tree as Terran letters but clearly Quill found them significant enough to preserve. Destroying an already dead tree was not as amusing, but he would abide by Quill’s rules while on Quill’s planet. At least until it stopped being fun. Drax settled the axe handle against his shoulder and headed off into the woods, looking like a shirtless gray lumberjack. Groot followed, running along at Drax's heels.

 

* * *

 

 

“Quill, are you certain about this?” Gamora asked as they gathered the last of the supplies heading for the surface.

She was staring dubiously at a large bowl full of a Terran ‘delicacy’ Peter insisted be made. As drawer of the short straw, it fell to Gamora to follow the half-remembered recipe Quill gave her while he ferried everyone else to the surface. Meal preparation was tedious and Gamora was not above making the knife-work go faster by using her sword. Well cleaned, of course.

The messy mass of diced Terran vegetables in a sauce the color of puss did not look appetizing. It smells okay, however, and Gamora had added nothing that wasn’t definitely edible. Thanos, knowing that good nutrition would only help his minions grow stronger, had fed his children well. But really this couldn’t be any worse than some of the things she had been forced to eat since she struck out on her own. And it definitely looked better than some of the slop Rocket had produced in the Milano’s mess hall.

Peter peered over her shoulder and smiled. It sure looked enough like the potato salad he remembered, the smell was evoking memories and a lot of stomach growling. More than the nostalgic comfort food itself, it meant a lot to him that Gamora was willing to try making it for him. She rarely complained about taking her turn in the ship’s mess but he knew she had no desire to spend time in the kitchen.

“It looks perfect. And it smells great. I can’t wait to try it, honest.” he assured her.

When she looked back at him, she saw his smile was warm and their faces just inches apart. When she returned his smile, his gaze dropped to her lips. She could tell he wanted to lean in, move closer, invade her space and make her feel things she didn’t know how to respond to. They had yet to do anything about the ‘unspoken thing’ between them but neither of them were ready to just yet. Gamora wondered if she ever would be. She knew once Peter had worked through his grief and shock, he would be back as flirtatious as ever. But maybe that was starting to seem less potentially... irksome?

Peter took the bowl full of food from her and stepped back. She turned to face him and somehow they managed to make the almost-moment feel not awkward. With another smile and a cock of his head towards the door, he led the way to the transport lander.


	7. Chapter 7

On the surface the lunch was consumed and pronounced a moderate success. Potato salad was not a universal taste but the burgers went over well enough when Peter explained the different condiments and toppings. The team set to experimenting with a gusto. Peter demonstrated how to eat corn on the cob but Drax deemed it wasteful. The cob was edible enough with his strong jaws and tough molars. Gamora’s blade made short work of the watermelon that followed the meal.  
  
  
When lunch was finished, the heat of the day was setting in. Peter decided a shady walk in the forest followed by the cool dip in the lake would be great. He’d picked up a couple pairs of swim trunks in the market and Gamora loaned Mantis some of the gear she used for training. Peter fielded questions about Terra from the others as they strolled under the trees. Drax was disappointed by the lack of large predators. He would have enjoyed testing himself in battle against new alien beasts.   
  
They set out with no particular destination in mind but Rocket found himself subtly steering the group towards the cliff he and Mantis had discovered earlier. It was worth it thought when they emerged onto the rocks. The others admired the view much as Mantis had.   
  
“I remember this.” Peter said, taking in the scene. “My big cousins used to jump into the water from here. My mom said I was too young, and I was too scared to try it without permission. That last summer before I left, I was determined to do it. I wanted my mom to see me do it before she died. But then she was gone and Yondu picked me up and I never got the chance.”  
  
“Chance is right here, Star-Dork.” Rocket pointed out. “Still too scared?”  
  
Peter made a face at Rocket while Gamora approached the edge of the cliff.   
  
“Is it safe?” she asked.  
  
“Sure! My cousins jumped all the time, remember?”  
  
“Your cousins were children, small and light.” Drax pointed out.   
  
“I guess the lake-bed could have changed...” Peter mused. It had been quite a while after all.  
  
Rocket snorted and looked over the edge. The water was a deep blue, no lighter spots to suggest the lake-bed was shallow or full of hard, pointy rocks. Rocket’s enhanced eyes couldn’t penetrate the underwater gloom very far, but he could see enough that he was pretty sure it was safe. And there was really only one way to find out for sure.  
  
“Well, I don’t know about you jokers, but I ain’t afraid. ‘Sides my fur is getting all sweaty and rank in this heat!” He griped as he peeled himself out of his jumpsuit and stood there with his fists on his hips and a condescending sneer on his face. “We came to take a swim, right? Well, last one in is an a-hole!”  
  
With that, Rocket took a quick hop backwards off the edge of the cliff. His friends know about his implants, they’d seen it all before, but he still didn’t like showing them off so he didn’t turn his back on them. ‘Sides, it was fun seeing their eyes bug out of their heads like that before he dropped out of sight.  
  
The others rushed to the edge of the cliff and peered down to make sure Rocket wasn’t hurt. They all knew Rocket was enhanced and hardy, he’d been through just as much physical abuse as any of them. But still they worried for their small friend. Long tense moments passed in which they did not see Rocket’s head break the surface again. Seconds stretched into minutes. Peter swore and pulled off his shirt, handing his gun and his comms to Drax. He was psyching himself up to jump when Rocket finally appeared and the team could breathe again.  
  
Rocket shook the water from his muzzle and looked up at his friends on the cliff, waving to let them know he was okay.  
  
“Get in, you losers, the water feels nice!” he hollered at them.  
  
Peter chuckled and turned to look at his team. They all looked back at him, waiting for their token human to take the lead on his home planet. It was rare for any of the Guardians to go swimming for leisure and they weren’t all that sure how to go about it. Quill was glad he’d thought of camping now; his friends needed some seriously lessons in having fun.  
  
Peter grinned at them and flashed a wink at Gamora before he turned and leaped. Rocket let out a hooting cheering that followed him down along with his own cry of “Cannonbaaalllll!”  
  
StarDork curled into a ball before he hit the water, sending up a wave over Rocket’s furry face. The raccoon shook the water out of his ears, tempted to scowl at Peter for the splash. Instead he settled for splashing Peter right in the face when he surfaced to take a breath. This lead to a short-lived water fight between the two that was settled resoundingly when Drax hurled himself off the rocky ledge and hit the water with a force of a Mack truck. They were still coughing and sputtering when the big man surfaced.   
  
“Hey Drax,” Peter suddenly had an incredible idea. “Have you ever heard of a ‘belly flop?’”  
  
When Peter explained the rules of a belly-flop contest, he put a heavy emphasis on the potential pain of the flop and the courage needed to risk the pain to achieve maximum splash. It was the best way to get Drax into the proper competitive spirit for something they would otherwise deem frivolous. But soon everyone was swimming for the cliff-face to climb the rocks back to the top. Drax was strong enough to climb anything but Rocket with his tough claws and less body weight to carry was the first to the top.   
  
Hearing of the competition, Gamora insisted on participating. Drax was certain he would be triumphant, given his great size and even greater skill. Peter thought they were pretty cocky for people who didnt know what a belly flop was two minutes ago.   
  
But their confidence was kinda justified, he thought a while later as he lay on the warm rocks letting the sun dry him. His soft Terran body hadn’t been able to take the same amount of abuse. Both Drax and Gamora were used to pain and had more physical tolerance for pain than people. Peter had bowed out half an hour ago, but Gamora and Drax were still taking turns flinging themselves into the water, then climbing the rock to do it again.   
  
Rocket had made a couple attempts, but he wasn’t big or heavy enough to rival the others. Plus hitting the water like that made some of his implants feel weird. So he watched, serving as a judge and yelling trash talk at them all. Mantis giggled as she watched his colorful commentary on the sport. Rocket’s fur stood out in spikes as it began to dry in the sun. He looked very cute and silly.  
  
The laughter caught his attention.  
  
“What about you, bug?” he asked. “You’re the only one aint been in yet.”  
  
Even Groot had gone for a swim. The little twig floated easily so there wasn’t much concern for his safety. But his thin spindly branches weren’t great for moving through the water so he preferred to latch on to Gamora’s streaming hair and be towed around. Mantis had watched her friends splash around with great delight but had made no move to join them. She hadn’t even considered it; she was used to watching Ego have his fun while she waited quietly until he needed her.   
  
Now she blinked owlishly at Rocket.  
  
“Whatsa matter? Ya scared?” he mocked, but in a not unfriendly way. Rocket walked over to the cliff edge and peered down. “Ain’t that high. I know you’ve jumped further.”   
  
He looked back at her, he was smiling but there was a challenge in his eyes as well as his words. “Can’tcha keep up with the rest of us?”  
  
She came and stood next to him, taking a long moment to assess the drop.   
  
Mantis hadn’t been with the Guardians long, but she knew they lived very dangerous lives. Ego was not the first adventure they have had. Mantis desperately wanted to be part of the team. If the Guardians rejected her, she had nowhere else to go. Besides, they were her friends now and she did not want to leave them. She would do what she had to do to prove she was useful and not a liability to her new team. Rocket wasn’t asking her to do anything he hadn’t done himself.  
  
So she turned to Rocket and gave him a nod, her expression mostly passive and only a tiny bit nervous. Then she turned and stepped off the cliff. She had a second to enjoy the feeling of the air rushing past her as she fell before she hit the water like a sack of bricks. It was more uncomfortable than painful, and she was quickly distracted by the feeling of the cool water around her. Sensory stimuli she had never experienced before.   
  
Rocket honestly hadn’t expected that. Even if she agreed to jump, he figured there’d be a few false starts before she found the courage. But she hadn’t hesitated. He watched the water now, ready to holler his approval when she surfaced. Which was taking a bit too long for his liking. Flarkkin’ hell, had anyone even asked the bug if she could swim?!  
  
Rocket shot off the rocky edge and hit the water like a missile, but the chill shock of the water disoriented him for a moment. He lost his bearings and didn’t know how he was going to find her. Before he could despair his sensitive paws felt a change in the water pressure. With little else to disturb the deep waters, he knew it must be Mantis floundering around and followed it to find the woman.   
  
She flailed around uselessly, clearly trying to imitate what she had seen her friends doing but deep water was a foreign environment for her. Rocket snagged hold of her wrist in both paws and began to kick for the surface. He wasn’t a great swimmer with only two limbs but at least the crazy bug wasn’t dumb. Mantis clumsily followed his example in kicking her legs and they broke the surface together. But she couldn’t keep her head above the water and Rocket couldn’t keep them both afloat by himself.  
  
“QUILL!” Rocket’s shout ended in a gurgle as he slipped underwater trying to keep Mantis from sinking. He wasn’t sure if anyone had heard him until there was the smack of a body hitting the water nearby.   
  
Peter took Mantis from Rocket’s hold and began to tow her along the cliff face towards a sandy beach nearby. when the team climbed down to join them they found their new friend wet and bedraggled but unharmed. Which did nothing to mollify Rocket. He stormed over to stand in front of Mantis, fists set on his hips. With her sitting in the sand, they were at eye level and she didn’t need her powers to sense his anger. Though they would have revealed the worry and concern that fueled it.  
  
But before he could chew Mantis out, Gamora shot him a deadly look. Which meant he wasn’t going to get the satisfaction he wanted from yelling and cursing. So it wasn't worth it to bother. He snarled low, just enough to be audibly, and stalked off into the forest.   
  
Gamora watched him go, then knelt on the sand.  
  
“Mantis,” she asked, “why did you not tell us you can’t swim?”  
  
Mantis blinked big black eyes at her and cocked her head slightly, considering.   
  
“I- I did not know. It did not look difficult when all of you did it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not what you would call pleased with this chapter but something is usually better than nothing so here is something.


	8. Chapter 8

When they returned to their campsite, Rocket wasn’t there but Peter wasn’t concerned. There was nothing around for miles except trees and dirt. Rocket would get bored and wander back when he was ready. Or he’d make his way around the lake and steal a boat. Or blow up a boat. Either way, he’d make enough noise that he would be easy to find.   
  
But Guardians knew Rocket well enough by now to know that Rocket had two main go-to reactions to just about anything that he didn’t like: violent anger or antisocial sulking. The smell of dinner in the form of hot dogs roasting over the fire would tempt him back.  
  
When he finally appeared out of the wood, Rocket didn’t say a word. He stalked over to the campfire, hunkered down next to it, and proceeded to eat 3 hot dogs and 4 s’mores. Content enough to ignore what had happened earlier that day, Rocket settled down to groom himself.  
  
But after he cleaned his muzzle of marshmallow and chocolate and moved on to the rest of his fur, his irritation returned.  
  
“What the hell, Quill? What kinda dumb-ass plants you on this ball of dir- OW!” His complaint was cut short by an exclamation of pain.   
  
Storming through the forest with no regard to where he was going or what bushes he was shoving his way through, his coat had accumulated a number of burrs. Trying to pull one out ripped out a small tuft of fur as well. Rocket seethed. He may be a hairy freak, but he did take some pride in keeping his pelt clean and free of tangles. He only looked like an animal.   
  
Peter managed not to laugh at his unfortunate friend as he explained how some Terran plants used burs to protect themselves from being eaten or to distribute their seeds. He remembered the chore of combing the burs out of his grandpa’s dog. Rocket was decidedly less mellow and more prone to biting than an elderly golden retriever so Peter was not about to offer to help remove them.  
  
The later afternoon was waning into evening when they finished their weenie roast, as Quill had called it. He and Gamora went to set up the small tents that had been purchased. Drax was off with his axe chopping more firewood to add to the pile that was already as tall as Rocket. Groot was off dabbling his roots in the waves. Rocket wasn’t exactly a helpful person when he was a good mood, so no one expected much from him now.   
  
  
So he sat clawing grumpily at the burs tangled in his tail, hissing in discomfort at the tugs on his fur. Ignoring Mantis seated across the fire until she spoke over the crackling flames.  
  
“I-I could help you. If you wish.” She ducked her head, immediately regretting the bold offer. She knew Rocket was very unhappy with her and irritated in general. She didn’t need her empathy to tell her that.   
  
Rocket scoffed. “Do you know what you are doing this time?” he said, despite himself. He wasn’t going to bring up what happened before. Didn’t want to invite anyone to ask questions about his reaction.   
  
But he turned to sit astride the log that served as campfire seating, a silent acceptance of her offer. Mantis moved to sit behind Rocket but when she reached out for the burs on his back, he whipped his head around to fix her with a look.  
  
“No reading me or whatever you call it. Got that?” His tone was serious but, Mantis thought, not unkind.   
  
She nodded her understanding and Rocket turned back around. He wasn’t crazy about being touched, but he was pretty sure he trusted her to obey his wished. Not that she could get away with it if she tried. His sharp eyes could pick up the glow from her antennae even behind him and then she’d get a scratch.  
  
Rocket was tempted a few times to give her a swipe anyway. Her fingers were extremely nimble and she was a gentle as she could be, both out of consideration and a tiny bit of fear. But there seemed to be a trick to removing the burs and once Mantis figured it out, her ministrations became kinda soothing. It was a bit like being petted (though Rocket didn't acknowledge the comparison to himself) and soon Rocket’s eyes were drooping closed in contentment.   
  
He didn’t realize how much he was relaxing into the touch until he started purring. Both of them froze when they heard it, Mantis’ hands still buried in his fur. The sound stopped immediately and Rocket tensed slightly, but he was way too mellow to get properly defensive about it. The silence stretched for a long moment, broken by footsteps as Quill returned to the fireside. At his return Mantis and Rocket drew away from each other to sit at opposite ends of the log.  
  
Any smart-ass comments Quill might have made about the petting going on were thankfully forestalled when flickers of light began to flare around them. Gliding here and there in the twilight, tiny lights blinked intermittently, catching the curiosity of the two off-worlders.   
  
Peter’s smile was soft with nostalgia.   
  
“Fireflies. I had forgotten about them. They are little bugs with lights in their butts. They come out around sunset. We used to run around in the dark trying to catch them and put them in jars.”  
  
Mantis turned to him with wide eyes.   
  
“Just to look at them.” Peter reassured her quickly. “We put in air holes and always let them go after a few minutes.”  
  
Minutes later Mantis was scurrying around their campsite, trying to catch fireflies. Peter followed her with an empty container he had located, advising her to handle the lightning bugs gently so as not to squish ‘em.  
  
At first Rocket scoffed. If they ain’t any use and you can’t eat ‘em, why bother? Lot of wasted energy, he thought.   
  
But as Mantis ran by the fire, following a blinking path in the air, the light of the flames lit her face with a glow rivaled only by that of her wide smile. She was rarely so free with her smiles, being a nervous kinda person. Shy and quiet she was, which usually Rocket approved of. One less person trying to talk to him or get in his way.   
  
The joy on her face, though. Rocket found himself smiling as he watched her, all traces of his earlier bad mood gone, disappearing into the sky with the fire's woodsmoke and sparks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN - posted without proofreading, sorry. wont be offended if you point out a mistake that bugs you.


	9. Chapter 9

The sun filtered weakly through the trees the next morning when Rocket emerged from the small tent he had claimed for his own, despite the fact that it was intended to sleep 2 people a lot bigger than him. His claws dug into the soft dirt beneath him and his back arched as he stretched. Then he froze. Beneath the twitter of birds and rustle of leaves, his sharp ears picked up the faint tune that was leaking from the tiny speakers tucked in Quill’s ears.  
  
Yondu’s last gift to Peter held more songs than Rocket would have reasonably expected to hear in a decade before Peter had come along. With 300 songs to check out, they all listened to music more than ever. Peter nearly non-stop.   
  
  
But this song Rocket recognized. Peter had played it before, more than once.  
  
And it usually coincided with Peter taking to his bunk, emerging later with red eyes and a subdued mood. Rocket had sneaked a peek at the device’s screen one day and caught the title. _Father & Son_. This song was a sure sign of the times when Peter was feeling Yondu’s loss particularly hard.  
  
Quill was seated now near the remnants of last night’s fire, staring into the smoke as it drifted to the sky.  
  
Rocket turned to leave, to find Groot and take him for a walk among the trees, figuring Quill would probably appreciate some privacy. Besides, humies probably look real ugly when they cry. But seated quietly near her own tent, so quiet and still he hadn’t noticed her there before, sat Mantis and that stopped his exit. Her expression kept shifting as she watched Peter. Her brow furrowed in concern for her new friend, then her eyes softened in sadness for Peter’s loss.   
  
When Rocket came to stand near her, she turned her attention to him. She didn’t voice the worried question in her eyes (Rocket had noticed she didn’t speak up to ask much of anything. Did she know more about stuff than they gave her credit for or was she just scared to ask? thinking she’d look stupid or something?) but he answered it for her anyway.  
  
“Quill’s okay.” Rocket sighed slightly and dragged a hand through the fur on his cheek. “No, he’s not. He’s real shitty. But he’ll be okay someday. Ya don’t need to worry ‘bout him."  
  
“He doesn’t want me to-?”   
  
To Mantis it seemed an entirely natural choice. She was there, with the power to ease Peter’s suffering, at no cost or harm to her or to Peter. Anybody in her company could take advantage of her abilities. It had been her only purpose for as long as she could remember. Helping her friend seemed the right thing to do.  
  
“He ain’t his fa-.. he ain’t Ego!” Rocket was more curt than he needed to be when he cut her off. There wasn’t any wrong with what she could do, exactly. Really, it was pretty amazing. Rocket just didn’t like the idea of being on such raw, open display for anyone. His feelings were his private business.   
  
"He ain’t like that.” He tried to soften his voice so he didn’t sound angry at her for the suggestion. Rocket hated the idea, but he couldn’t speak for the others. He didn’t know what kind of tortured emotions they were keeping ahold of inside them. Drax sure seemed to enjoy having her powers used on him.  
  
“Oh, but Ego never allowed me to manipulate his emotions. Only to help him sleep. I think he feared someone else having control over him.” Mantis explained softly and turned to look at Peter. “I will tell him that he need not fear being like his father. Then Peter Quill will wish for me to help.”   
  
Mantis stood to cross to where Peter sat, still oblivious to their conversation and probably their presence. Rocket reached out to halt her, not wanting her to intrude on Peter’s grief. Especially not with her unique brand of awkward.   
  
“Slow your roll, Bug.” a phrase he had picked up from Peter somewhere along the line, Rocket noticed. “Some things people gotta let themselves feel.”  
  
Mantis didn’t understand really; rather she sensed that she _would_ if it was explained to her. But this was not the time or place for difficult explanations. She looked at Peter again, feeling a swell of sympathy for everything the man had been though. Which was followed by odds pangs of guilt. Then remorse.

Helplessness.

Grief.

Self-hatred.   
  
Her gaze swiveled sharply back to Rocket. They both realized in the same moment that her antennae were glowing. Dimly, since Mantis hadn’t been accessing her powers consciously, but the gleam was there. Dropping her eyes, she found Rocket’s hand wrapped around her wrist. His smaller fingers didn’t quite overlap even on her dainty wrists, but his grip was firm. Strong enough to send his feelings through the contact. Until he yanked his hand back like he had been scalded.   
  
His bristled as Rocket braced himself to hear her put to words the feelings he bottled up and ignored as much as he could. Her empathy powers scared him. Not just because she could read his private feelings. He had realized the strength that must be in her to give her the power to face things he couldn't handle facing himself.  It made him feel weak and humbled and inferior before her. He really hoped she hadn’t picked _that_ up.  
  
Whatever she had felt though, she kept her mouth shut. Mantis ducked her head quickly after Rocket pulled away, gently wringing her hands as she waited for his harangue. She was not to read him, he had said (hollered) that more than once. She hadn’t meant to! So distracted by Peter and the pull of his pain (almost tangible despite a lack of contact), she hadn’t even realized Rocket was still touching her. Feeling his emotions had been accidental. But Rocket had a temper. The whole team knew that.  
  
The morning sun peaked through for a moment, lighting on Mantis’ face. The ethereal shine of her pale skin was different from the warm glow of the firelight and it made her look even more delicate. Rocket’s temper never got a chance to flare to life.   
  
Still, he wasn’t sure what to say to move past that moment. Lucky for him, he didn’t have to figure it out. A yawning Groot slipped out of the tent he had shared with Drax, leaving the grey man snoring audibly inside. He blinked sleepily as he toddled over to Rocket, limbs extended in a request to be picked up.  
  
Thankful for the distraction, Rocket lifted the twig into his arms. He started to turn for the forest but paused.   
  
“C’mon, Bug.” Rocket said. Mantis looked up and he cocked his head away from the campsite.  “You can keep me company while i take Groot to the little trees’ room.”  
  
She smiled hesitantly and nodded in acquiescence. They set off into the forest with the song of the warblers ringing above their heads. 


End file.
